* Education: Bachelor’s degree in geology from Colorado College; master’s degree in Education from the University of Colorado

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* A few words about your company: Pikes Peak Community Foundation advances community philanthropy in our region. This means we invest grant funding to help nonprofit organizations achieve their missions. We also help individuals, families, and businesses achieve their charitable goals in the simplest, most flexible, enjoyable and tax effective way possible. We also create permanent endowments for a wide variety of programs that improve the quality of life in our community, and we provide educational opportunities for people to learn about philanthropy.

* Recent accomplishments: We started the Community Foundation only about five years ago. At that time, all we had was a great idea, a great board of directors and a pencil on my kitchen table. During that time, we’ve generated more than $45 million in charitable assets that are working here in the Pikes Peak region and granted out about $12 million of that. We’re pretty thrilled that the Foundation has grown to a net value of about $33 million.

* Biggest career break: Signing on as the paraprofessional for the Geology Department at Colorado College when I was 22, only to have the professor I was supposed to work for suffer a debilitating stroke after I had been on the job about three days. I was called to then-President Lew Worner’s office, and he asked me to take over the professor’s full teaching load. What a learning experience&

* The toughest part of your job: Balancing the demands of work, family and personal time has always been the biggest challenge.

* Someone you admire: I have the greatest admiration for people who succeed despite all obstacles, such as Lance Armstrong, Eric Weihenmayer or Joe Simpson..

* About your family: Three diverse and dynamic teenagers and my wonderful wife who clearly inhabits the deep end of our gene pool. I’m insanely lucky to have such a great immediate and extended family.

* Something else you’d like to accomplish: I’m aiming to do the Pikes Peak Ascent this summer for the first time&wish me luck.

* How your business will change in the next decade: Our Foundation will need to continue to serve as a fast-responder to community needs, become a storehouse of local expertise about charitable giving and philanthropy and find innovative ways to connect donors with the causes they care about.

* What book are you currently reading? I usually have about 5-10 books in progress at the same time. I’m currently getting pulled into “Adventure Capitalist” by Jim Rogers and just finished “Touching the Void” by Joe Simpson.

* What is the one thing you would change about Colorado Springs? We need to devote the necessary resources to “grow our own” social and business entrepreneurs.